Device for bracing and ventilating fence-posts



UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

CHARLES R. SMITH, OF' HAVERHILL, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

DEVICE FOR BRACING AND VENTILATING FENCE-POSTS.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No. 25,768, dated October 11, 1859.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. SMITH, of Haverhill, in the county of Grafton and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and Improved Fence; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichw Figure l, is a perspective view of a fence with my improvements, and Fig. 2, is an end elevation, a portion being' broken away to show more clearly one fea-ture of my invention.

Similar letters of reference, in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the wire loop K, in combination with one pair of braces, a post and a sill.

It consists, second, in providing grooves in the posts and cleats of the panels for the purpose of allowing air to circula-te between the rails, posts and cleats, and t-hus prevent speedy rot and decay.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, A, are the foundations, made of any suitable stone for the support of the entire structure of the fence, and to which the same is firmly fastened and confined through the instrumentality of the braces G, H, I, and J, the wire loops K, K', K, K", and nails or screws m, m, m, m; the loops being so constructed that each one answers for a pair of braces. The loops penetrate the stone sill and are shaped so as not to be readily pulled out of place and are also further rendered secure by cement placed around them.

B, B, B, B, are boards or slats reaching from post to post and constituting one length of the fence.

C, is the top slat or weather board.

E, E', are upright posts to which the lengthwise boards or slats B, B, B, B, are confined at each end by nails or screws.

D, D', are cleats which are designed to confine the lengthwise boards B, in their places.

The posts E, E', and the cleats D, D', are grooved on the inside for the purpose of freely admitting the air which aids in preserving them and the ends of the lengthwise boards B, from rot and decay. These grooves are seen at n, n.

F, is a cleat, to which the lengthwise boards B, are fastened by nails or screws, thus serving to keep them in their places and to steady and strengthen the fence. It also has grooves for the admission of the air which are seen at n, n, n. The plate and bolt and wires shown at L, may answer in some cases as a substitute for the loops, but generally I prefer to employ the loops K; as they are cheaper and more readily applied.

The advantages to be derived from my improved fence, constructed as above described, are cheapness, firmness, durability and entire exempt-ion from liability to be displaced by the action of frost. It can easily be built over ledges, the solid rock of which will serve as the very best foundation. It can be easily straightened when out of line and can be made in any weather suitable for out-door work. It will stand unharmed on cloggy and heavy soils, and no ordinary currents of water can remove it, and if it should be moved by currents of water, it can be readily replaced.

That I claim as my invention'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The peculiar construction and arrangement of the wire loop K, in combination with one pair of braces, a post and a sill, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The grooved post E, and the grooved cleats D, and F, in combination with the lengthwise boards or slats B, B, B, B, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

CHARLES R. SMITH.

IVitnesses:

HENRY MOORE, J. S. BRYANT. 

